Edible Flower #5: Japanese Honeysuckle
Even if you haven’t tasted honeysuckle since you were a kid, I bet you still remember how to gently pinch the base of the blossom and carefully pull out the pistil, with a glistening drop of sweet nectar on the tip.
To use honeysuckle flowers for eating, gently cut out the pistil and stamens (those little filaments inside the blossom), being careful not to pull out the nectar. Then chop up the petals and nectar droplets for use in teas or sorbets. The flavor is wonderfully floral and sweet.
Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is a perennial vine that’s considered an invasive species. So I wouldn’t recommend planting it, but if you already have it, here’s a good way to enjoy it! Although there are other, more decorative varieties of honeysuckle out there, only the Japanese variety is edible.
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